Utensil holding devices

ABSTRACT

An eating utensil (1) having a holding device (5, 7, 8, 10) integrally or removably attachable to a distal end (2) of the utensil in a form of a loop (5), ring (7) or U-shape (8) are disclosed to provide a finger aperture (6) or insert (9) for a user to help prevent dropping of a utensil and assisting an elderly user or a user who may have arthritis or gripping impairment in holding and manipulating a utensil during use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to eating utensils and more particularly to autensil having integral or attachable holders on a proximal holding endfor ease of use and prevention of dropping by elderly persons or personswith arthritis or other gripping impairment.

Conventional eating utensils, such as spoons, forks and knives may bemade of metal or hard plastic having a distal food securing end and aproximal handle end which is generally held between the thumb and indexfinger during use. Unfortunately, such conventional utensils requirepressure be applied by the fingers during use, especially when holdingfood, and thus can be easily dropped by users, particularly users whohave arthritis or other physical impairment.

Thus, a need exists for a utensil holding device that enables utensilsto be held more easily and prevents dropping, particularly by theelderly and persons with arthritis or other gripping impairment.

Attempts to meet this need include the following references, but noneare like the present invention:

Patent/App. No Inventor Issue/Pub. Date 1. WO2011/10937U Matari Sep. 9,2011 2. CN 201899280 Jul. 20, 2011 3. 2016/0066723 Prommel et al. Mar.10, 2016 4. 2017/0290451 Flesher Oct. 12, 2017 5. 9,161,643 Prokop, IIIet al. Oct. 20, 2015

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to provide devices tomake eating utensils easier to hold and manipulate during use.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such devices thatprevent dropping of eating utensils during use.

A further object of the present invention is to provide such devices foreating utensils that enable elderly persons and persons with arthritisor other physical impairment to utilize such eating utensils.

An even additional object of the present invention is to provide suchutensil holding devices that can be adapted and utilized withconventional utensils.

The present invention fulfills the above and other objects by providingdevices for holding eating utensil having a distal food securing end anda proximal handle having a finger hold on the proximal end of theutensil for placement of a user's finger. The finger hold may becircular, horseshoe-shaped, U-shaped and either integrated into theproximal handle end of the utensil or a removably attachable elastomericslip-on device for use with conventional utensils.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention should become even more readily apparent to those skilled inthe art upon a reading of the following detailed description inconjunction with the drawings wherein there is shown and describedillustrative embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following detailed description, reference will be made to theattached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a utensil holding device of the presentinvention integrated under the proximal handle end of the utensil;

FIG. 2 is a side view of a utensil holding device of FIG. 1 integratedunder the proximal handle end of the utensil;

FIG. 3 is a side view of a holding utensil device of the presentinvention integrated in the proximal handle end of the utensil in a formof a ring-shaped loop;

FIG. 4 is a side view of a holding utensil device of the presentinvention integrated in the proximal handle end of the utensil in a formof a U-shaped holding device; and

FIG. 5 is a side view of a holding utensil device of the presentinvention removably attachable to the proximal handle end of aconventional utensil.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

For purposes of describing the preferred embodiment, the terminologyused in reference to the numbered items in the drawings is as follows:

-   -   1. utensil, generally    -   2. proximal end    -   3. distal end    -   4. utensil handle    -   5. under-handle loop holding device    -   6. finger aperture    -   7. ring-shaped holding device    -   8. U-shaped holding device    -   9. finger insert    -   10. removably attachable slip-on holder    -   11. conventional utensil

Referring now to the drawing figures, in FIGS. 1 and 2 perspective andside views, respectively, of a utensil 1 with a horseshoe shaped holdingdevice 5 of the present invention are illustrated. Like conventionalutensils, this utensil 1 shown as a fork has a proximal end 2 withhandle 4 and a distal end 3 for securing food. However, unlikeconventional utensils, the utensil 1 of the present invention has aholding device 5 integrally attached under the distal end 2 that formsan aperture 6 for inserting a user's finger to assist the user inretaining and guiding the utensil during use while eating.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the utensil 1 of the present invention with aring-shaped holder 7 integrally attached to a distal end 2 of the handle4 to provide a finger aperture 6 to retain the utensil from beingdropped by a user during use.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a utensil 1 of the present invention with aU-shaped holder 8 integrally attached to a distal end 2 of the handle 4.The U-shaped holder 8 is attached perpendicularly to a plane defined bythe utensil 1 so as to form a horizontal insert 9 for a user to insert afinger, preferably an index or middle finger, to assist in retaining andguiding the utensil during use.

FIG. 5 is a side view of a utensil 1 of the present invention with aremovably attachable holding device 10 of the form illustrated in FIGS.1 and 2 to a distal end of the handle 4. The holder 10 could be made ofelastomeric rubber material to slip onto a conventional utensil so as toconvert any conventional spoon, fork or knife similar to the presentinvention. Although illustrated in FIG. 5 as having an under-handle slipon holder in the form of FIGS. 1 and 2 , the holder could be in the formof a ring or U-shaped device as previously discussed and illustrated orany shape for that matter, just so long as a finger aperture or insertis provided for insertion of a user's finger during use.

It is to be understood that while a preferred embodiment of theinvention is described, it is not to be limited to the specific form orarrangement of parts herein described and shown. It will be apparent tothose skilled in the art that various changes may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention and the invention is not to beconsidered limited to what is shown and described in the specificationand/or drawings.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:
 1. A device for holding aneating utensil having a distal food securing end and a proximal end,said device comprising: a finger hold on the proximal end of the utensilfor placement of a user's finger.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein thefinger hold is generally circular and integrated into the proximal endof the utensil.
 3. The device of claim 1 wherein the finger hold ishorseshoe-shaped and integrated to a bottom of the proximal end of theutensil.
 4. The device of claim 1 wherein the finger hold is U-shapedand integrated into a tip of the proximal end of the utensil.
 5. Thedevice of claim 1 wherein the finger hold is removably attachable to theproximal end of the utensil.
 6. The device of claim 2 wherein the fingerhold is removably attachable to the proximal end of the utensil.
 7. Thedevice of claim 3 wherein the finger hold is removably attachable to theproximal end of the utensil.
 8. The device of claim 4 wherein the fingerhold is removably attachable to the proximal end of the utensil.
 9. Amethod for stabilizing a utensil while eating comprising: (a) selectinga utensil; (b) attaching a removeably attachable slip-on holder to theutensil; (c) inserting a user's finger into an aperture of theremoveably attachable slip-on holder; and (d) using the utensil to eat.